UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 22

Redacción de Reuters

3 MIN. DE LECTURA

(Adds futures, company news items)

March 22 (Reuters) - Britain’s FTSE 100 index is seen opening down 4 points, or 0.07 percent, on Tuesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures 0.1 percent lower ahead of the cash market open. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on

* The UK blue chip index steadied to close 0.08 percent lower on Monday at 6,184.58, after a choppy session, with gains in the pharmaceutical sector and by supermarket Sainsbury outweighing a fall in mining stocks.

* OFCOM: Britain’s telecoms regulator said BT, the owner of the biggest fixed-line network, must install business lines more quickly and significantly reduce the wholesale prices it charges rivals for the lines.

* THOMAS COOK: British holiday company Thomas Cook said bookings were lower than last year due to uncertain geopolitical conditions, but prices were holding up and it was sticking with its annual guidance.

* JOHNSTON PRESS: The world’s largest journal publisher said it posted a 23 percent jump in adjusted profit before tax as it continued to cut costs.

* IG GROUP HOLDINGS: British online trading company reported an 18 percent rise in third-quarter revenue as traders speculated more during heightened market volatility.

* BREXIT: Ratings agency Moody’s said on Tuesday it saw “clear downside risks” if Britain votes to leave the European Union in a referendum in June, and repeated its warning that this would make the country’s debt more vulnerable to a downgrade.

* OIL: Oil prices dipped in Asian trade on Tuesday, giving up gains from the previous session after data showed U.S. crude inventories fell for the first time since January and as commodity prices paused from their recent rally.

* COPPER: London copper eased on Tuesday as the dollar edged higher after a U.S. Federal Reserve official raised the prospect of an April rate hike, but any downside was limited given an improving chart picture and seasonal demand strength.

TODAY‘S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines For more information on Top News, visit (topnews.reuters.com) (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru)